11. I Screwed Up
The idea of the eyes being the windows to the soul suddenly didn't sound ridiculous at all.
* * *
|Anmol|
"Ashar, Sunny. Sunny, Ashar."
Thank god, my cousin did the introductions because I wasn't the only one glued to my spot. In fact, Ashar and Sunny were also staring at each other--glaring almost.
I nudged Ashar.
"Do you guys know each other?" Jhaanvi asked, looking between the men.
"Old friends," Ashar smiled and Sunny mirrored the action. While the old friends shook hands and somewhat hugged, I coulsn't help but find it odd. They didn't even strike me as decent friends. How could Ashar be friends with someone of Sunny's status?
Well, if he can be my husband . . . Sunny was still fair game.
We talked for a few minutes before Jhanvi dragged Sunny to dance with her.
My eyes followed their content faces. Maybe one day I could be in a happy relationship as well, whether it was with friends or family. Sunny and Jhanvi met each other at a fashion show in Venice, Italy. I could try my luck there after the contract with Ashar was over. Just another eleven months of torture.
How am I going to survive?
"Ano!" Ashar snapped his fingers in front of my face as if hadn't been paying attention to him. "I'm your husband, so stop eye raping another married man in front of me."
Alright, I admit my eyes remained focused on Sunny, but I wasn't even thinking about him!
And what the heck did Ashar mean?
"Don't tell me what to do," I said annoyed.
Instead of retorting, he resorted to leaving me standing alone and asking a random girl to dance with him. Was he really going to behave in such an immature manner? I wasn't going to tell him to not dance with anyone.
Instead I crossed my arms and decided to ignore him. A familiar group of women caught my view and I joined them, listening to them gossip who was wearing what at the last fashion show. These were daughters of rich businessmen. Myra and Tara were also in the group. As much as I wanted to pay attention and contribute something to the conversation, I couldn't.
My eyes kept wandering back to where Ashar was.
When he caught me staring, I made weird faces at him. He gave a goofy smile and continued swaying to the music with his spontaneous partners. If he was going to dance with people, he should at least avoid selecting women taller and/or older than him.
"Annie, you okay?" one of the girls asked, her hand on my arm.
"Perfectly fine." I forced a smile.
"I've heard it's hard for newly marrieds to keep their eyes off each other," Tara teased, knowing full well about me getting forced into marriage.
"That's a little strange since Annie denied knowing him at the fashion show," someone--Astrid--pointed out. "But I must say, he's extremely attractive." Everyone except Myra, Tara, and I agreed on that. "Did you choose a model as well, Annie?" If these girls knew Ashar was a commoner, they wouldn't spare a single glance at him.
"He's actually a wait--" Myra began, but I elbowed her. "Wait, he's a graphic designer."
As if that sounded any better.
Either the girls didn't understand or didn't hear right, because they actually looked impressed. Naturally, any profession or anything tagged "designer" appealed to them.
Nevertheless, I didn't have to face embarrassment at my husband's expense.
"Do you mind if I go dance with him?" Astrid asked me.
"Be my guest," I said nonchalantly.
We all knew she couldn't dance. It'd be an exhilarating sight to see her step on Ashar's feet in her high heels. As per prediction, Astrid crushed Ashar's feet and at the end of the song, he finally left the dance floor. I suppressed my laugh when he shot me an unamused look and shook his head at me.
"The serf has my sympathies," Myra whispered.
Mine too.
The party dragged on for ages and I really wanted to just go home and sleep. Unlike most of these career-less people, I had a shoot to report to. Yes, because of our tight schedule, we had shooting on a Saturday. Roshan and Myra left the party early, leaving Tara and I alone to chill. Jhanvi and Sunny thought it'd be nice to give us company and bore us with details of their boring lives.
Well, it's wasn't that boring since Sunny was a pleasant sight.
Carter came in fashionably late and decided to socialize with everyone. I didn't even remember I came with someone until I saw the one isolated guy sitting at a table for six, texting on his cell phone.
"You ditched your hubby, Annie?" Jhanvi said in a condescending tone.
Hubby?
My husband wasn't a two-year old that I'd call him that.
"Why don't we give him company?" Sunny suggested. "Ashar's my old pal." I don't even know what was going on until my group decided to take seats around the circular table with Ashar. Everyone was courteous to pass me a chair next to my husband. He was genuinely surprised to see us.
"Hope we didn't disturb you," Tara said on everyone's behalf.
"You looked so bored, we decided to join you," Carter explained.
"Okay," Ashar shrugged.
I could tell he didn't want so much company, but he tolerated our presence. Sunny began drinking wine or whatever which I could see wasn't an approved action by Jhanvi. Ashar made some casual talk, before Sunny brought up something past related.
"How's your work going?" Sunny asked on his third glass of alcohol. "Still no chances of joining modelling? I have connections if you're interested."
Ashar? Modelling?
"No, thanks. I don't have any interest in your profession," Ashar said slightly riled up.
"It's better than your lowly job," Sunny muttered.
"It's because of my lowly job that your face even looks good. All that photoshop editing isn't easy," Ashar retorted.
Ouch.
"And yet, my job still brings me more money."
"I'd rather keep myself away from prostitution to make more money," Ashar said, keeping his voice leveled. "That's not worth the modelling job." Sunny's eyes narrowed. Needless to say, the rest of us couldn't believe his words.
But seriously . . . prostitution?
"What are you saying?" Jhanvi asked vexed.
Ashar leaned back, playing with his cell phone on the table. Of course, he was the center of attention, now.
"He's kidding, Jaan," Sunny said with an umistakenably fake smile displaying his perfect white teeth. He set aside his empty alcohol glass. The deed was already done. Was Sunny really a man whore? He was pretty hot so . . . Ew prostitution.
That was worse than the serf level.
I finally got something over Jhanvi, though.
Ashar scoffed. "As much as you were kidding about my job being lowly."
"You were a prostitute, Sunny?" Tara asked half-amazed and half ready to burst into laughter.
"No! Ash's lying!" The accused man said defensively. Seeing his wife's glare, he desperately said, "Don't believe him. Three years ago, he and I were at the same college taking the same classes until I decided to try my luck modelling. I got a great offer from my current manager and told Ash to try his luck as well. He backed out because--"
"Because the woman wanted us to completely sell our bodies to her," Ashar finished.
"Just for one nigh--" Sunny paused and flinched, realizing he just got busted. Honestly, he shpuld've avoid drinking prior to bringing up this topic. Tara and I clamped our hands to our mouths in shock. Jhaanvi was fuming in anger. Before another round of explaining could proceed, my cousin got up and slapped Sunny right across the cheek. I saw Ashar cringe.
He was a jerk for ruining my cousin's relationship. Even if I hated her.
"Your screwed your own manager!" Jhanvi said disgusted. "All those rumors about you screwing her behind my back weren't rumors, after all! You didn't sell your body for one night!"
Tears poured out of her eyes and she ran out of the hall, hiding her ruined makeup. Nobody else knew how to react. Sunny was sitting still from the impact of the tight slap he received. I had heard a few false charges against Sunny having an affair with his manager, but never paid any heed to them.
"We should probably head home too," Ashar advised, standing up.
I followed right next to him.
"Hold on. Just hold on!" Sunny snapped loudly. I saw Ashar let out a frustrated sigh before urging me to continue walking. It was a useless move because soon he received a shove resulting him falling on the ground, face first. Ashar stood up swiftly and faced his so called friend.
"Don't create a scene," he warned Sunny.
"Or what?" Sunny pushed him again and Ashar stumbled back a few steps.
Oh no.
"Sunny--"
"You just ruined my home and plan on peacefully returning to yours?" Sunny asked incredulously. Was he serious? "I screwed up? So what?! It beats being a waiter at some restaurant cleaning up people's plates. Especially at your own wife's restaurant!"
Oh no no no no!
It was as if my worst nightmare had transformed into reality. Sunny obviously conducted a research on us and now, the gathered crowd knew I married a waiter.
"I don't screw around my manager, at least--"
Ashar got cut off harshly by a punch right on his jaw. I staggered back a step, my eyes popping wide at Sunny who had delivered it. Even though Ashar messed up, it didn't mean he deserved a punch. I couldn't believe the sweet gentleman, Sunny, had the audacity to punch his own friend.
Maybe he thought the same because Ashar swung his fist straight at Sunny's nose.
A physical fight broke out not even four feet away from me. Each punch thrown made me wince, especially when it was against Ashar. He didn't have a great face already and this fight was going to help give him a handsome makeover.
Carter and a few other guys tore the two monsters apart from each other. If Ashar had a few bruises and a split lip, Sunny's face was even worse--one black eye, a split lip, and a bleeding nose. He started the fight, so I didn't feel the slightest bit bad for his ugly face. Maybe that's how it originally was disguised under the gentlemanly behavior. My uncle entered the scene with an extremely distressed face, his daughter standing right behind him.
"The party's over, friends," Uncle announced before looking at his son-in-law and his neice's husband. "Gentlemen, step inside and we'll have a word."
The idiots ruined the entire party.
* * *
"Stop bleeding on my car seat."
"Stop breathing in my air."
I scrutinized at him and then replied, "You don't own the air, but I own this car. And believe me, it costs more than all of your wounds combined."
"Thanks for your concern regarding my well-being," he said sarcastically. "In comparison to you, your cousin actually felt bad about my injuries and even offered to help me clean. If you hadn't insisted on leaving the mansion so early, I might not be bleeding in here."
Now, no one would blame me if I said I had to get to work early tomorrow.
Unlike him, I don't get both Saturdays and Sundays off.
"I didn't want you to start another fight with Sunny." I used my other reason. That showed my worry, right? "Here." I opened my purse and gave him my mini-tissue pack. "I don't know where the first aid kit is."
He quietly took the tissues and started cleaning his neck, first, where the blood had trailed down from his mouth to his neck. Some of his blood or Sunny's could be found in traces in his hair. I tried not to observe him too frequently because that face was beyond hideous. Although most of the blood had dried off, a giant purple bruise covered the area under his left eye. Swiping his hand across his mouth, he cleared a lot of area.
I felt like throwing up.
Until I saw his eyes.
There was something forlorn and somber about them. Never have I seen a pair of golden orbs appear so . . . crestfallen. The idea of the eyes being the windows to the soul suddenly didn't sound ridiculous at all. Till this moment, I had only condemned of him fighting back with Sunny, but now I felt a little sympathetic. He didn't plan on it.
Actually, I doubt he escorted me thinking he would beat up his ex friend.
His eyes maintained the melancholy aura until they caught mine.
"What?" Ashar asked.
I tilted my head a little, staring right back. "Your eyes look so . . . sad."
Not even bothering with a reply, he blinked at me as if I had said something stupid. The limo halted to a stop, putting the uneasiness lingering in the air at ease. I stepped out of the car swiftly and hurried towards the dark house. All the lights were out except for the ones at the front porch. I pressed the doorbell and waited for someone to open it.
The broken guy followed behind me wiping at his dry wounds.
The door unfastened and yawned widely at us, revealing Cecily's tired face. I entered inside and heard her exclaim, "Oh god! Ash, what happened?"
"Go find the first aid kit and then ask for the details," I told her.
Some people wasted way too much time.
"Yes ma'am," she said. "C'mon Ash, I help you clean all that . . . blood."
I couldn't comprehend the unsettling feeling inside me as I saw the redhead usher Ashar towards the kitchen. My words were obviously misinterpreted because I meant for her to bring the kit to our room, not take my beaten up husband to it.
Cecily was the epitome of stupid.
Or maybe I was stupid.
That girl just wanted to take Ashar out of my sight and blame me for this condition.
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A/N
Look who updated after ages. Sorry. :(
Song: Main Tenu Samjhawan (instrumental). I accidentally clicked on the wrong one and now, it wont go away. I wanted the non-instrumental -__-
What did you think of Sunny-Ash fight?
Think Anmol cares about Ashar's bruised up face?
If you guys don't know, but I legit only like Varun Dhawan for his upset expressions in HSKD. He looked so innocent.
Pretty please don't mind voting and commenting.
--K-K-Kiran